Press Releases
BtoBet: Coming Out Successfully From The Current Sportsbook Scenario
- Short-term mitigation plans could shape up a new industry on the long term
As the iGaming industry is adapting to the live sport events shortfall that has now taken the iGaming industry by storm, not everything is doom and gloom. Alessandro Fried, BtoBet’s Chief Executive Officer, discusses the interim measures that operators are adopting to mitigate the gap created in the sportsbook vertical, and how eventually the industry will morph into a more diverse scenario based on the decisions that operators are taking at the moment.
In what way will the current situation impact the industry?
Everyone is expecting live sport events to surely resume shortly. They will be back, and with them the sports betting vertical will pick up where it left and bounce back. At this point in time the Italian top league clubs are all set to resume their training in a couple of weeks, whilst in Germany teams have already resumed with their preparations to final sprint of the Bundesliga.
However, it is true that the industry has undoubtedly been impacted. No one has ever imagined a scenario where live sports on practically a global level would be made unavailable. The pandemic and its consequences, with governments and authorities alike putting in place extraordinary measures imposing social distancing in order to curb the outbreak, has disrupted mostly those bookmakers who throughout the years have based their business activities on a retail network. The same applies for the retail casino outlets, with Las Vegas as the primary example, literally closing down its doors for business.
It is with this in mind that I expect a major shift in operators’ strategies in the immediate to short term, with retail licensees seeking to migrate their business activities to the digital mediums, thus also mitigating for any future downturns in terms of retail customers.
Turnover from live sportsbetting is a major problem for most operators. However, have other verticals seen an increase in player engagement?
The current circumstances related to live sport events has had its major toll on those operators who have based their offering primarily on live football events, with the top leagues generating an ever increasing revenue stream as this form of gambling is nowadays being considered as an extension to the events themselves. Such are the number of followers that these events produce. However, the scenario has changed abruptly, and live sport events that on a daily basis averaged into hundreds of events have now been reduced to merely a handful. Live betting now comprises of football events in Belarus and Nicaragua, table tennis in Russia, and racing from the United States, Hong Kong and Australia. Which all in all amount to a rather limited content portfolio and will not make up for the loss of revenue that other major sport events generate.
Undoubtedly this translates directly to a significant loss in terms of turnover, with many industry experts expecting as much as 70% or even higher in terms of loss. On the other hand, and this needs to be highlighted, operators and suppliers alike have been agile in identifying new means of how to diversify the players’ engagement across a broader portfolio of verticals.
One of the major verticals that has seen a major bump on the immediate term has undoubtedly been virtual sports, which nowadays is accounting as much as 40% in terms of operators’ turnover. The same can be said with reference to the esports vertical and online casino vertical, with certain operators doubling their turnover in these verticals over a relatively short period of time.
How will the current situation impact the industry for the short term and the long term?
I reiterate that live sport events are resuming sooner rather than later. And I expect a high player engagement, if not actually higher, once the situation normalises itself. Does this mean that the industry will resume in its steps before the Covid-19 pandemic ensued? I highly doubt so. Even though there are few historical episodes which provide us with the required data as to how we will emerge from this situation, I expect the new more diversified content approach endorsed by the operators to stick also for the long term.
Operators are now seeing the opportunities that reside in other verticals. Since sport events have been cancelled, sportsbetting players have turned their focus to alternative betting products, be they virtual sports, esports, and online casino amongst other verticals.
In today’s context, I expect this “cross-selling” to other verticals to become even more determining as we go forward, because the current situation will surely have a lasting effect even on people in terms of their gambling behaviour.
I also expect retail operators to adopt a diversification of their business strategies and move towards the online channels. Does this mean that the brick and mortar experience will be a thing of the past? Certainly not. Retail betting shops and casinos still offer a betting and gambling experience in their own unique way. On the other hand I do envisage an expansion to the digital channels to complement the retail offer, with operators necessitating of a diversification of their revenue stream whilst also being better placed to retain their current fold of players, and acquire new customers through targeted marketing campaigns.
You have mentioned that operators are opting to “migrate” their players from sportsbook to other verticals.
Sports betting is an activity that nowadays is considered by the players as an enhancement to the real live action. One should also state that the vast majority of players bet on the teams, leagues, and different sports categories which they usually follow, and of which they have a good knowledge and understanding. There is an emotional attachment to sports betting, which in itself is driving operators to seek creative solutions in order to close the gap created by this “live sports void” for the short term.
Not only are they integrating new, innovative and alternative vertical content. They are going to great lengths to ensure a high level of player engagement even on the sportsbook itself, by exploring and expanding markets – such as the props market – that have until now played a rather minor role in the sportsbook vertical.
Most of our partners are realising the benefits that this expanded sportsbook content can have also in terms of retaining their fold of loyal players.
More importantly nowadays we are assisting operators pushing in their bid to create and develop new vertical markets. This is a further indication that eventually we are going to have a better, and stronger scenario, where sportsbook will still reign supreme, but strong gains will be registered in other verticals as operators will seek to diversify ever more their revenue stream.
How is BtoBet assisting its partners in mitigating the short term effects, and possibly putting in place a strategy for the longer term?
For the past months BtoBet has focused on boosting all its verticals in order to place all operators in the position to determine which strategy they want to undertake for their target players, whether they want to focus on sportsbook, online casino, lotteries, virtuals, e-sports and fantasy sports.
Nonetheless throughout these times we are still investing and pushing to provide bookmakers with the best range of alternative vertical content, whilst at the same time keeping focused on delivering a long term plan ensuring our partners will reap benefits by adapting a player-centric approach.
This is why we have put a strategy for the short term period assisting all our partners with the introduction of special content including:
- a daily selection of the most important horse-racing events,
- a new and engaging novelty bet section,
- extended E-Sports content,
- a boosted odds fantasy league,
- and a tennis game based on the outcome of more than 1 million matches.
We will also offer all our assistance to bookmakers and other operators in diversifying their business model by integrating a wider content for the Virtuals, with games from six leading industry providers natively integrated in the Btobet platform; an Online Casino portfolio consisting of an extensive list of over 8000 games from over 100 providers; and a wide selection of Lotteries, Instant Lotteries and Jackpots, with prizes up to €150 million.
Our past investments have also seen us launch a new retail solution, intended to not only boost the betting experience at the brick and mortar level, but also aptly enable operators to transform their non registered players into registered customers through a rapid registration process.
I am confident that the current sportsbook shortfall will be just a small blip in the radar for the majority of operators who optimise their business strategies, allowing them to reap major revenue increase opportunities from a wider verticals portfolio on the long term.
Zimpler, a leading Swedish company in Pay-by-bank solutions, today announced the launch of Zimpler ID+, a new identity layer designed to simplify compliance and accelerate user conversion within digital payment environments. By embedding biometric identification and regulatory checks directly into the first user interaction, Zimpler ID+ reduces friction in sectors with complex onboarding requirements.
“Zimpler ID+ gives our partners a direct path to compliance and conversion – cutting onboarding time, reducing drop-offs, and removing the need to build identity infrastructure in-house,” said Tobias Gunnesson, Chief Product Officer at Zimpler.
“While most verification flows still rely solely on deposit-based triggers or cookie tracking, we’re the first to enable verification at the point of entry – meeting compliance head-on and delivering a better user experience from the start.”
Purpose-built for highly regulated digital environments
Zimpler ID+ serves industries where compliance is critical and abandonment rates are costly, such as iGaming and financial services. It ensures users are verified from the start, without requiring deposits or post-registration identity checks.
Key features include:
- Quick onboarding: Verification and collection of KYC data takes place at the first point of contact, not only at the point of payment
- Seamless return user experience: Returning users can identify with biometric technology and are recognized with the help of cookies
- Works even without cookies: If cookies are unavailable, the user can easily identify themselves using a passkey
- Built-in compliance: Regulatory assurance at every step of the customer journey
By functioning as a unified identity layer from sign-up through repeat visits, Zimpler ID+ helps businesses minimize onboarding churn and maximize regulatory confidence.
Solving identification friction at scale
The launch of Zimpler ID+ comes as businesses across Europe face rising pressure to improve digital onboarding while maintaining regulatory standards. National ID systems remain foundational – but they weren’t built to optimize every business touchpoint.
Zimpler ID+ complements these systems by offering operators a plug-in layer of biometric identification and gathering of KYC information tailored to business needs. It removes the need for deposit triggers, repeated logins, or re-verification after a device change.
“With Zimpler ID+, we’re introducing a flexible approach that gives businesses more control over identity flows – without compromising security or relying solely on external systems” said Gunnesson.
Product availability
Zimpler ID+ is now available as a value-added service to select partners in Finland, with more markets to be added in the future.
By embedding advanced onboarding capabilities directly into its existing infrastructure, Zimpler expects ID+ to strengthen customer retention and enhance platform value across regulated sectors for years to come.
The post Zimpler introduces ID+: A next-gen identification layer for digital payments appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
The iGaming industry got a taste of heavyweight ambition at iGB L!VE London 2025, where GR8 Tech unveiled its Heavyweight Club—an exclusive community that takes domination in iGaming markets as seriously as world champion Oleksandr Usyk takes defending his undisputed heavyweight title.
“iGB L!VE London was the ignition point for the Heavyweight Club. We showcased top-tier tech and connected with operators ready to lead, scale, and dominate. The energy, the conversations, the demand for real performance confirmed what we’ve always believed: the iGaming industry is hungry for heavyweight solutions and GR8 Tech is here to deliver,” said Sergey Ghazaryan, GR8 Tech’s CRO.
Industry Response Points to Market Appetite
With increased competition making differentiation more challenging, speed-to-market pressure intensifying as new markets emerge, and technology debt from legacy systems hindering operators’ growth, the industry is at a critical juncture. In 110 meetings with the sales team and over 65 conducted demos, operator feedback consistently centered on these exact challenges.
This shift is evident across the ecosystem. Mariia Shmelova, CEO of Aff.Tech—GR8 Tech’s proprietary affiliate management platform—observed similar patterns: “One major trend is the demand for greater transparency and performance accountability. Operators want to see exactly what’s driving traffic, conversions, and ROI. That’s why we’ve been doubling down on data—not just analytics, but actionable insights that affiliates and operators can use in real time. We’re also seeing growing interest in multi-geo, multi-brand campaigns, and our platform is built to support those kinds of complex setups with ease. Flexibility, automation, and smart integrations are the future.”
The conversations revealed a clear understanding: champion ambitions require champion tools. Operators emphasized the need for high-performance solutions that deliver geo-specificity for local market domination and margin mastery that turns competitive pressure into profit advantage. The response highlighted how operators are seeking partners who understand that every champion needs exactly the right tools for their specific fight.
GR8 Tech’s approach resonated because it addresses this reality with three key solutions designed for different use scenarios:
- Hyper Turnkey, which delivers fully managed casino and sportsbook operations that scale with ambition;
- ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame with its lightning-fast integration and market-specific customization capabilities;
- Infinite Casino Aggregation, offering premium gaming experiences with an operator-first flexibility.
This comprehensive approach ensures every operator gets precisely what they need to overcome their unique market challenges and achieve championship-level performance.
Heavyweight Club Momentum Builds Toward Next Championship Round
The “Fight for Greatness” collection drew significant attention on the show floor. Attendees’ enthusiasm for the showcased apparel and accessories, paired with strong performance of the online store, confirmed that the Heavyweight Club resonates far beyond technology—it’s a mindset people want to embody and a philosophy they want to wear.
GR8 Tech’s AR experience featuring Oleksandr Usyk became a magnet for attendees, with over 80 participants stepping into the champion’s world in one of the most memorable activations on the show floor. Winners of the AR experience didn’t just walk away with impressive pictures—they earned tickets to witness Usyk defend his undisputed heavyweight title against Daniel Dubois this July.
Just as Usyk will defend his title at Wembley, the Heavyweight Club will continue its championship journey beyond iGB L!VE. The next epic edition awaits at SBC Summit in September, where the movement will expand with new challenges and opportunities for operators ready to dominate their markets.
Ready to fight for greatness? Connect with GR8 Tech and step into the ring.
GR8 Tech. Platform for Champions
GR8 Tech is an award-winning provider, delivering high-performance sportsbook and iGaming solutions that empower operators to lead and win in competitive markets. Key elements of GR8 Tech’s comprehensive portfolio include the Hyper Turnkey solution, ULTIM8 Sportsbook iFrame, Infinite Casino Aggregation, and Platform Acceler8 suite, featuring its proprietary affiliate management platform, Aff.Tech.
With a geo-specific approach to solutions, a focus on practical innovations, and an operator-first mindset, GR8 Tech helps its clients achieve measurable results in their target markets quickly and efficiently. Trusted by top operators worldwide, GR8 Tech has over 100 successful cases and earned multiple recognitions, including the title of the Best Sports Betting Provider in CEE by GamingTECH Awards 2025.
The post Heavyweight Club by GR8 Tech Signals New Era of Operator Ambition at iGB L!VE appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
Booming Games is pleased to announce the successful integration of its slot titles with Ivy Casino, one of the UK’s fastest-rising online gaming brands. The partnership marks an exciting milestone as Booming Games continues to gain traction across the UK market.
Ivy Casino players now have access to a growing portfolio of Booming Games’ titles, including the standout hit 64 Gold Coins Hold & Win. Known for its engaging mechanics and strong performance on some of the UK’s biggest platforms, Booming Games is quickly becoming a go-to provider for UK players seeking fresh, high-quality content.
Matt Attard, Account Management Team Lead at Booming Games, commented: “We’re thrilled to see our games now live on Ivy Casino, a brand that’s already establishing itself as a serious player in the UK market. Our titles, especially 64 Gold Coins Hold & Win, are designed to deliver excitement and engagement, and we’re confident Ivy Casino’s players will respond well to our growing portfolio.”
Mark Good, representing Ivy Casino, added: “Booming Games brings a fresh and exciting addition to Ivy Casino’s growing library. Their titles, especially 64 Gold Coins, have been getting great exposure across established UK brands, and Ivy Casino is pleased to now offer them directly to its players. It’s a great fit as Ivy Casino continues expanding the premium content available to its users.”
The integration is now live, with more titles expected to follow in the coming months as both teams collaborate to bring even more variety and innovation to UK players.
The post Booming Games Goes Live on Ivy Casino, Strengthening UK Market Presence appeared first on European Gaming Industry News.
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